The 2024-25 NHL season is officially past the midway point. With that being said there have been many ups and downs, along with heartbreak and new relationships with teams. Coming into the season there were high hopes for every team, with the season taking tons of twists and turns. From Matthew Rempe getting suspended for eight games, to the Winnipeg Jets being in first of the Central division for the first time in years, this season has been unpredictable to say the least. With that said, here are the biggest surprises and disappointments so far.

Surprises

Washington Capitals
Let’s start by saying, the Washington Capitals weren’t entirely impressive as a playoff entrant last year. In the 2023-24 season, they ended with a 40-31-11, good for fourth in the Metropolitan Division. The first round sweep against the New York Rangers proved the skepticism. After an aggressive off-season, Washington opened the season with a 10-4-1, currently sitting atop their division They definitely are not last season’s Caps team and could prove that this is the season they re-stake their claim as one of the NHL’s best teams.

Philadelphia Flyers
Following a season that saw Philadelphia finish sixth in the Metropolitan Division and four points from a playoff spot, the Flyers were projected to be a wild card team, currently keeping that projection accurate. There have been a bunch of ups and downs throughout the season, yet Philadelphia still stays in the mix. Erik Johnson is a veteran defenseman who was signed to another year (this current season). Johnson scored a goal in the first 30 games of the season and celebrated his 1,000 NHL games with a pregame ceremony against his old stomping ground Colorado Avalanche.

Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina lost four key players in the off-season, with defenseman Brett Pesce and utility forward Stfan Noesen both leaving the Hurricanes for the New Jersey Devils, center Teuvo Teravainen joining the Blackhawks and defenseman Brady Skjei landing with the Nashville Predators. Despite all of the turnover, the Hurricanes are still finding success, largely in part to a career year from center Martin Necas, who’s on pace to shatter his previous bests in assists and points.

Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay fans were in a state of shock when they lost their beloved captain Steven Stamkos, who led them into their “Champa Bay” era. Although fans are still trying to move on from Stamkos’ departure, new captain Victor Hedman is making an impact trying to fill the shoes of leader left by the franchise great. Longtime Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is producing another stellar season, keeping the Lightning offense as one of the premier in the league.

Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas looks ahead to another year of success in the 2025 season. The 2024 Golden Knights had milestones, nail-biting victories and highlight reel worthy plays. Coming into the 2024-25 season the Knights have started with a 29-12-3 record. Jack Eichel jumped off the Vegas offense with a total of 54 points, in 43 games. This gives fans excitement and a reason to watch because the 2025 season seems to be the one we were all waiting for.

Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche has been a surprise all season so far, with their goaltenders, performance of key players and the overall record. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is a brand new goaltender, replacing Alex Georgiev who was traded to the San Jose Sharks. Blackwood has an astonishing 37 saves in his first start against the Predators. With the rise of Casey Mittelsadt this season is making fans (including me) excited to watch. Another player that is causing an ‘avalanche’ in the media is Calum Ritchie. Ritchie is a 19-year-old forward coming off a breakout season in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) and has high chances of making the final roster.

Disappointments

Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators have been a perennial fringe playoff team the last three seasons, but have had a fall from grace this season. Currently sitting just a point ahead of the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference, Nashiville’s offense has plummeted to one of the worst in the NHL, averaging the second worst goals per game (2.45), only ahead of the Anaheim Ducks. Stamkos’ first season out of Tampa Bay has been woeful, looking like a shell of his former self, while fellow free agent signing Johnathan Merchessault has been unable to recreate his effect goalscoring from his last season with the Golden Knights.

New York Rangers
The Rangers fell just short of the Stanley Cup a season ago; an encore doesn’t seem imminent, as New York is battling to avoid the cellar of the Metropolitan Division. The usually sure-handed Igor Shesterkin is producing the worst year of his career, allowing the most goals per game (2.97) and having his lowest save percentage (.907), in the first year on his eight-year contract extension, which made him the highest paid goalkeeper in NHL history.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins, I have nothing to say except most of the time Penguin but this season Peng-lose. Goaltending is worse than expected. Tristan Jarry has allowed six first shot goals. He was sent to the AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, His coach seems to have hit a breaking point and sent him down. Alex Nedeljkovic is fine for a couple games but looks like a fringe NHL goalie when his work load is extended. Neither goalie is stopping 89% of shots. The Penguins might have the worst goalie situation in the league.

Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres didn’t get that “New Year, New Me” memo. Buffalo spent most of 2024 struggling to get any positive momentum. And coming out as embarrassing as they were the last year in 2025 just set the tone for the rest of the season. The Sabres had three multi-goal leads over the Colorado Avalanche, only to blow each one. New head coach Lindy Ruff is making this season extra rough for the Sabres. Coming into the season we were all excited to see what he had up his sleeve, but watching it today… it’s disappointing. The hockey world has been waiting for the Sabres to snap out of this bad luck, but this is not the season to do so.

Vancouver Canucks
Though not in the NHL yet, a once-promising prospect for the Canucks, Danila Klimovich is yet to join the big squad, as he still struggles to find consistency in the AHL. The former second round selection, the fourth-year right winger has struggled finding the net, scoring just 38 career goals in 182 games on the ice. The biggest upset for Vancouver to select the Belarus native was his ability to score, though his professional career has proven otherwise.

Detroit Red Wings
The first half of the 2024-25 season has been like two separate seasons for the Detroit Red Wings. Red WIngs fans know that each season is a long, boring and sad stretch followed by one or two good games. After losing head coach Todd McLellan in late December and signing a whole new person, the team has a ton of rebuilding to do. But new coach Derek Lalonde has been doing exactly that.

All stats from NHL as of Jan. 17.

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